Chapter 53

**SCARLET**

What the hell was he doing here? My heartbeat quickened in damned fright. Damn it, why here? When did he come? Did he see me on the stage earlier?
But it’s not what caught my attention. He was with another woman again. A woman of his type. It had been almost two weeks, and he had already found someone else? My blood began to boil in anger and disgust.
I put out my phone and typed a message for him. My hands were shaking.
Going out again as Jax, are we? Just like old times. I hit send. She was probably someone he met on the app to fuck tonight. I wiped my tears with my fingers right away. I hid in the back of the restroom.
I didn’t expect that he would reply right away.
Where are you?
I wanted to turn away, but I couldn’t help it. His date was now leaning over the table, whispering words to his ear. She playfully stroked his chin with her fingertips. I almost wanted to puke. I couldn’t take it anymore.
I replied to his message but did not tell him where I was.
Seriously? For someone who has a child waiting for you at night, do you still have time to date? I sent the message.
His response came right away. Yes, I’m on a date right now with someone who’s not going to slap the shit out of me.
You are very disgusting. A cheater and an asshole. I swear, I regret sleeping with you.
I slapped myself mentally when the realization struck me. What’s gotten into me? I should have ignored him. I should have walked away. I did a good job keeping my word for almost two weeks. I avoided him. I was just so, so mad. I at least had to say something to him.
He didn’t respond. I spied on him as he looked down at his phone, raising an eyebrow. He turned around his chair and slowly scanned the place. I hid at the back, by the door.
I swallowed hard, remembering how I’d pictured him wrongly in my dreams. I even imagined him as an inspiration on my wet nights because I missed him so much. Seeing him right now only made me want to feel his body again in my arms.
I bit my lip hard, wanting to go out and show up. Astonishment crossed my face when someone entered the restroom. I was forced to step outside when the door opened wide. Luke found me. His eyes widened the second they met mine. His lips parted slowly. His gaze traveled up and down my body. Suddenly, it felt like we were alone in the world. My body responded to his gaze. Every hair on my body stood, my nipples hardening.
His date’s hand slipped over his chest, trailing him closer to her. I almost choked on my saliva. I hated the way she was holding him. I was boiling inside. I wanted to pull her away from him and scratch her face.
Luke stared back at his phone. My phone beeped again. He replied.
Meet me. Now.
I set my eyes back on him. My mouth parted slightly.
“You’re still here?” A voice behind me interrupted. I dropped my phone on the ground in surprise.
“Oh, I’m sorry. Are you alright?” The man behind me kneeled to pick up my phone. I tucked my hair under my ear to check him out.
“Sean?” I asked.
“Here you go.” He stood up and gave me my phone back.
“I’m just… I need to freshen up a bit.” I pointed out the restroom door in front of us.
“Oh, I see. I’ll see you tomorrow then. I have someone to meet here.”
I nodded. “Thanks.”
When Sean left, it was my turn to walk away too. I turned around—almost running in another direction. I’d just text Nate and Katherine to go without me. I reached the lobby, but someone grabbed my arm and spun me around.
Luke.
I tried to jerk away, but his hand tightened on my arm. He glared back at me. Giving me a dangerous look as the people around us whispered.
He pulled me into another room and locked the door. The room we were in was the storage room.
“I’m disgusting?”
“Yes, you are. Let me go right now, or I’ll scream.”
His jaw twitched. “You haven’t messaged me or shown yourself for ten days straight. Now, you’re bothering me like this?”
“I did not bother you. I don’t give a shit about what you think right now. For someone who hated liars, you turned out to be a liar himself. An exemption to his own rule is a fact I can’t understand.”
“I did not lie to you, Scarlet.”
I shook my head. “Yes, you did. You didn’t tell me about your secret woman, and can you imagine how shocked I was when I found out you are the father of her child?”
“Yes, I have a daughter, and for the record… I am not technically the father.”
“And I am not technically stupid. You don’t make any fucking sense.”
“You had every chance to talk to me, but you chose to push me away. Why bring this up now?”
“It’s because you were keeping me in the dark. I don’t know if I can believe any of your excuses.” I tried to free myself from him. I pushed him back and tried to open the door. Luke didn’t let me. He grasped my wrists and slammed me into the wall.
“No one has to know about it,” he hissed,
“Even me?”
“Even you, but you already know. What choice do I have? I never lied to you. I don’t talk about my private life with anyone, but I have a daughter. I support them because her mother is not capable of raising her alone. She’s a crippled woman. I am going to file a petition for child custody. It’s still in process.”
“And you still didn’t tell me that when I told you everything about me.”
He clenched his jaw, but he didn’t say a word. He let me go this time.
“I knew you would continue to keep me in the dark. You have no plan of telling me. I’m sure your lovely Barbie doll has a room reserved near this place, so please, if you don’t mind—”
“Nothing is going on with Stacy and me. And yes, I do have a room reserved near this very place. Unfortunately, I had reserved the same one last week too, but I’ve been unable to fuck anyone because I can’t stop thinking about my stepsister and how I wanted to fuck her and only her…”